Live storage conveyor system

ABSTRACT

A conveyor system has a cross-feed conveyor for moving stacks of cases to an accumulating area, and an in-feed transfer system for selectively feeding the stacks onto respective live storage conveyors in the accumulating area. Each live storage conveyor includes a track for supporting the stacks of cases, longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs pivotally mounted on a reciprocating carriage centered in each track, and respective sensing members for sensing the presence of stacks located on the track and for urging the lugs into contact with the stacks of cases located forward of the engaging lugs. Each forward stroke of the carriage pushes the engaging lugs against the stacks to move the stacks forward along the conveyor track. The sensing members are positioned forward of their respective engaging lugs, and each sensing member is depressed by a stack positioned on the carriage above it to break contact between the sensing member and its respective lug. This causes the lug to drop under gravity to an inoperative position so the lug will not move a stack forward on the track when there is no unoccupied space for receiving it. The engaging lug at the end of each conveyor track is normally maintained in an inoperative position while stacks are being accumulated on the track. A slidable bar moves a separate lug lifting member into engagement with each lug to move all lugs into an operative raised position when it is desired to override the instructions of the sensing members and discharge the accumulated stacks, one-by-one, onto an out-feed conveyor leading from the accumulating area to a shipping area.

Stevenson, III

[ 1 LIVE STORAGE CONVEYOR SYSTEM [76] Inventor: Clarence H. Stevenson, III, 308 W.

Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale, Calif. 91202 [22] Filed: Sept. 8, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 287,499

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 35,020, May 6,

1970, abandoned.

[52 US. Cl. 198/81, 198/221 [51] Int. Cl. B6Sg 37/00, 865g 25/08 [58] Field of Search 198/81, 40, 221

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,886,164 5/1959 Solecki 198/40 3,385,418 5/1968 Broser 3,512,628 5/1970 Keough 3,522,722 8/1970 Hunt 198/221 Primary Examiner-Richard E. Aegerter Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Christie, Parker & Hale 7 1 ABSTRACT A conveyor system has a cross-feed conveyor for moving stacks of cases to an accumulating area, and an infeed transfer system for selectively feeding the stacks [451 July 30, 1974 onto respective live storage conveyors in the accumulating area. Each live storage conveyor includes a track for supporting the stacks of cases, longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs pivotally mounted on a reciprocating carriage centered in each track, and respective sensing members for sensing the presence of stacks located on the track and for urging the lugs into contact with the stacks of cases located forward of the engaging lugs. Each forward stroke of the carriage pushes the engaging lugs against the stacks to niove the stacks forward along the conveyor track. The sensing members are positioned forward of their respective engaging lugs, and each sensing member is depressed by a stack positioned on the carriage above it to break contact between the sensing memberand its respective lug. This causes the lug to drop under gravity to an inoperative position so the lug will not move a stack forward on the track when there is no unoccupied space -for receiving it. The engaging lu'g at the end of each conveyor track is normally maintained in an inoperative position while stacks are being accumulated on the track. A slidable bar moves a separate lug lifting member into engagement with each lug to move all lugs into an operative raised position when it is desired to override the instructions of the sensing members and discharge the accumulated stacks, oneby-one, onto an out-feed conveyor leading from the accumulating area to a shipping area.

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This is a continuation-impart of my copending application Ser. No. 35,020, filed May 6, 1970, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention I This invention relates to conveyors, and more particularly to a conveyor system which includes an improved live storage conveyor for moving stacks of cases or the like into close proximity to each other on a storage track.

2. Description of the Prior Art Dairy plants and similar operations where products are packaged in containers, such as milk or cottage cheese cartons, are concerned with efficient and economical distribution of the goods after production. In most packaging or bottling plants, assorted cartons are initially placed in cases for shipment by truck to grocery stores or directly to the consumer. After the car-- tons are filled and placed in the cases, problems often arise in selecting and moving the cases from the storage area to the truck loading area. Shipment orders almost always call for loads containing an assortment of products. Thus, cases from one production line must be combined with a desired number of cases from other production lines in the plant. For example, cartons of dairy products are taken from filling machines and placed in respective cases which are then stacked in a stacking machine. Similarly, cases of cottage cheese are received from another production line and stacked. When a shipment order is received for a load which includes an assortment of products, theorder is picked and stacks of cases of each product are moved together to the loading area.

At present, stacks of cases of different products are usually conveyed by conventional chain. conveyors to a storage area where they are manually pulled fromthe conveyor'and dragged over steel floors for storage. This system requires considerable manpower to produce a continuous flow of goods both to and from the conveyors. Moreover, delays are frequently caused because stacks of various goods are often located at quite a distance from the conveyors. Movement of cases in this fashion also requires considerable supervision, and has been seriously lacking in inventory control.

It is recognized that the flow of goods through packaging or bottling plants could be substantially improved if there were available a relatively simple powered automatic system for continuously moving stacks of cases from a production area onto desired storage tracks so that the cases could be automatically accumulated in rows of like products. Such a system would also preferably include means for automatically advancing stacks of products to a picking line as each preceding stack is 'moved onto a conveyor for shipment.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention'provides a conveyor system which includes an improvedlive storage conveyor for automatically accumulating stacks of cases on a storage track.

2 tem requires limited manpower and supervision to quickly separate stacks of goods and transfer them from an accumulating area to 'a shipping area. Furthermore, the structure and operation of the live storage conveyor is relatively simple, and no accumulated pressure is exerted on the conveyor track as stacks accumulate along the track. Consequently, the system is economically suitable for use in mostpackaging or bottling plants which handle numbers of assorted cases or the like.

Briefly, the live storage conveyor includes a reciprocating carriage which cooperates with a track to move objects forwardly along the track. An engaging lug mounted on the carriage pivots from an operative position, in which the lug contacts the bottoms of objects disposed over the conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the upper surface portion is out of contact with the objects. A sensing member secured to the carriage forward of the engaging lug is normally operative to contact the engaging lug to urge the lug into its operative raised position. The sensing member is adapted to move downwardly when contacted by an object disposed on the track above it, so that the lug drops under gravity to its inoperative position. In use,

I when the lug is in its raised position, a forward stroke of the carriage causes the engaging lug to force objects forwardly along the track. The sensing member prevents the lug from moving an object forward unless there is a space into which the object can be moved.

In its preferred form, the engaging lug includes a substantially vertical engaging surface portion adapted to contact the bottom of milk cases, or other objects, disposed on the conveyor tracks. The sensing member is held in pressure contact with the lug to raise-the engaging surface portion of the lug into an operative position in which it will contact objects on the conveyor track. The-engaging lug is arranged to pivot relative to the conveyor carriage so it freely drops under'gravity to an resting on the bottom of the conveyor carriage when the lug pivots to its inoperative position. This prevents the rear portion of the lug from striking objects disposed on the conveyor carriage above it on the return stroke of the carriage. The preferred form of the invention further includes stop means disposed below the engaging lug for limiting pivotal movement of the lug away from the direction in which objects are conveyed.

The sensing member preferably comprises a longitudinally extending continuous arm having a forward por tion normally held above the conveyor track so as to sense objects positioned on the track above it. The sensing member also has a rear portion located so it moves into and out of pressure contact with the engaging lug. When the forward portion of the sensing memher is above the conveyor track, the rear portion of the sensing member is held in pressure contact with the engaging lug to raise the lug to its operative position. When the forward portion of the sensing member is contacted by an object on the track, it moves downwardly to move the rear portion of the member out of pressure contact with the lug. This allows the lug to pivot to its inoperative position so'an object will not be pushed against the object sensed by the sensing member. 

1. In a live storage conveyor having a conveyor track, a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to the track, and means for reciprocating the carriage to move objects in a forward direction along the track, an improved sensing and engaging mechanism comprising a series of longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs pivotally mounted to the carriage, and separate longitudinally spaced apart movable sensing members mounted to the carriage for controlling the action of respective engaging lugs, each lug being mounted to the carriage to normally pivot under gravity to an inoperative position out of contact with objects on the conveyor track, each sensing member being a longitudinally extending, continuous arm having a front portion located forward of its corresponding engaging lug and a rear portion movable into and out of pressure contact with the engaging lug, each sensing member being mounted so its front portion is normally held above the conveyor track to sense an unoccupied space on the track while the rear portion thereof is being held in pressure contact with its corresponding engaging lug to raise the lug to its operative position to contact objects on the conveyor track when the caRriage is moved forward, the sensing member further being operative such that its front portion will move downwardly when contacted by objects on the track to move the rear portion thereof away from the engaging lug and out of pressure contact therewith to allow the lug to pivot under gravity to its inoperative position.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the engaging lug, when maintained in its operative position, provides an upright engaging surface disposed above the conveyor track, and an elongated forwardly projecting nose below the engaging surface portion, the nose defining a lower surface portion for contact with the sensing member.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the sensing member comprises a torsion spring, a portion of which is curved convex upwardly so as to contact objects disposed on the conveyor track above it.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the engaging lug has a tail portion located to the rear of its pivot point; and in which the rear portion of the sensing member provides a transverse extension arm adapted to pivot into and out of pressure contact with the tail portion of the lug when the forward portion of the sensing arm pivots above and below the conveyor track, respectively.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 2 in which the engaging lug has a tail portion located to the rear of its pivot point, and in which the nose of the lug is arranged so it rests on the bottom of the conveyor carriage when the lug pivots to its inoperative position so as to prevent the tail portion of the lug from striking objects disposed on the conveyor track above it.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the engaging lug is mounted to the carriage by a transverse pivot pin secured to the carriage at a point such that the angle between a horizontal plane through the pivot pin and a line from the pivot pin through the point of engagement between the object and the engaging lug is at least about 45*.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which separate longitudinally spaced storage locations are defined along the track, and a separate engaging lug is located to the rear of each storage location, and in which each sensing member extends in a forward direction from its corresponding engaging lug to the vicinity of the lug associated with the storage location located two spaces forward of the location associated with said corresponding engaging lug so that the sensing member will sense substantially the entire length of the storage location located in front of the object positioned in the storage location associated with said corresponding engaging lug.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1 including stop means disposed on the carriage below the engaging lug for limiting pivotal movement of the engaging lug away from the direction in which the objects are to be moved.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which each sensing member extends adjacent to a respective outer longitudinally extending edge of its corresponding engaging lug, and includes a hooked end portion extending over a tail end portion of the lug to move into and out of pressure contact with the tail end portion of the lug when the forward portion of the sensing arm pivots above and below the conveyor track, respectively.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the conveyor carriage includes an upwardly opening, slidable, elongated channel member mounted in association with the conveyor track; and in which the engaging lugs are pivotally mounted to the channel member, and the sensing members are mounted to the channel member; and further including a channel member actuator for reciprocating the channel member relative to the track, whereby when each engaging lug is in its operative position, forward movement of the channel member actuator moves the lug into contact with the bottom of an object disposed on the conveyor track and forces the object forwardly along the track.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 10 including an elongated control rail disPosed within the channel member; means for moving the control rail relative to the channel member between a first position and a second position; and a series of spaced apart lug position control means mounted at locations on the control rail for permitting pivotal movement of the engaging lugs to their inoperative position when the control rail is in its first position, and to maintain the lugs in their operative position, preventing movement to their inoperative position, when the control rail is in its second position.
 12. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the lug position control means includes separate control springs mounted adjacent to the bottom surface of the engaging lugs, each control spring having an end portion held in contact with the bottom of a respective lug, the end portion of the control spring being movable from the rear of the lug pivot point to the front of the lug pivot point as the control rail moves from its first position to its second position, respectively.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 11 in which the lug position control means comprises a separate control spring carried by each engaging lug, and separate control spring actuating members carried by the control rail and positioned such that they are forced into pressure contact with corresponding control springs to raise the lugs when the control rail is moved to its second position, and such that they move out of pressure contact with the control springs to allow each lug to drop under gravity to its inoperative position when the control rail is moved to its first position.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 11 including an out-feed conveyor at the discharge end of the conveyor track for receiving objects discharged from the conveyor track, means for maintaining the control rail in its second position, and means for continuously reciprocating the channel member actuator when the control rail is in its second position so as to discharge objects from the conveyor track onto the out-feed conveyor.
 15. A conveyor system comprising a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to a conveyor track for moving objects in a forward direction along the track, means for reciprocating the conveyor carriage, a sensing and engaging mechanism on the carriage for controlling the movement of objects along the conveyor track, the sensing and engaging mechanism including a series of longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs mounted along the carriage, means for mounting each engaging lug to the carriage to pivot relative thereto, separate lug control means mounted on the carriage to contact corresponding engaging lugs to move each lug from an operative position, in which the lug is in a raised position to contact the bottoms of objects on the conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the lug is out of contact with the objects; and wherein the conveyor track has an in-feed end and further including a cross-feed conveyor at the in-feed end of the conveyor track for carrying objects to be transferred onto the conveyor track, and an in-feed transfer system for moving objects from the cross-feed conveyor onto the in-feed end of the conveyor track, the in-feed transfer system including selectively operable means arranged to be actuated for transferring an object from the cross-feed conveyor onto the conveyor track, indexing means activated in response to the presence of a particular object on the cross-feed conveyor, and means for actuating the transfer means in response to activation of the indexing means, the transfer means including an engaging lug mounted on the in-feed end of the conveyor carriage to normally pivot under gravity relative to the carriage to an inoperative position in which the lug is out of contact with objects on the in-feed end of the conveyor track, the actuating means being movable in response to activation by the indexing means to raise the engaging lug from its inoperative position to an operative position in which it will contact an object at the in-feed end OF the conveyor track and transfer the object onto the conveyor track when the carriage is reciprocated in a forward direction.
 16. Apparatus according to claim 15 including sensing means actuated when the conveyor track is completely filled with objects, and disabling means activated in response to actuation of the sensing means for preventing the in-feed transfer system from moving objects onto the conveyor track.
 17. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the cross-feed conveyor includes a cross-feed track; a reciprocating cross-feed carriage cooperating with the cross-feed track for moving objects in a forward direction along the cross-feed track; a series of spaced apart cross-feed engaging lugs mounted along the cross-feed carriage and adapted to pivot from an operative position, in which each lug contacts the bottom of objects on the cross-feed conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the lug is out of contact with the objects, and stop means secured to the cross-feed conveyor carriage below the cross-feed engaging lugs and arranged to normally maintain the cross-feed engaging lugs in their operative position during each forward stroke of the carriage, the stop means being movable relative to the lugs to permit the cross-feed engaging lugs to pivot to their inoperative position during each return stroke of the cross-feed carriage.
 18. Apparatus according to claim 15 in which the engaging lug at the in-feed end of each conveyor track includes a rotation arm rigidly attached to the lug such that movement of the rotation arm between first and second positions will pivot the lug between its inoperative and operative positions, respectively, and in which the actuating means includes a slidable piston which is movable in response to activation of the indexing means to engage the rotation arm and move it to its second position which, in turn, raises the lug to its operative position, the piston arm also being movable in response to activation of the indexing means to move out of engagment with the rotation arm to allow it to move to its first position which, in turn, allows the engaging lug to drop under gravity to its inoperative position.
 19. A live storage conveyor comprising: a. a conveyor track having parallel rails for supporting objects to be conveyed; b. a conveyor carriage cooperating with the conveyor track for moving objects in a forward direction along the track, the conveyor carriage including an elongated upwardly opening channel member extending parallel to the rails of the track and adapted to move relative thereto; c. drive means for reciprocally moving the channel member relative to the conveyor track; d. a series of longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs pivotally mounted to the channel member, each lug being mounted to normally pivot under gravity to an inoperative position in which it is out of contact with objects on the conveyor track; and e. a series of longitudinally spaced apart movable sensing members disposed within the channel member, each sensing member being associated with a respective engaging lug and being a longitudinally extending, continuous arm having a front portion located forward of its respective engaging lug and a rear portion located so it is movable into and out of pressure contact with its respective engaging lug, each sensing member being mounted so its front portion is normally held above the conveyor track to sense an unoccupied space on the track while the rear portion of the sensing member is being held in pressure contact with the engaging lug to raise the lug to its operative position to contact objects on the conveyor track when the conveyor carriage is moved in a forward direction, each sensing member further being operative such that its front portion will move downwardly when contacted by objects on the track to move the rear portion thereof away from the engaging lug and out of pressure contact therewith to allow the lug to pivot under gravity to its inoperAtive position.
 20. Apparatus according to claim 19 including means attaching each sensing member to the channel member, and in which each sensing member pivots relative to the channel member about a transverse axis through its respective attaching means, each sensing member being normally operative to pivot its forward portion above the conveyor track to sense objects on the track.
 21. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which each engaging lug has a tail portion located to the rear of its pivot point; and in which each sensing member is pivotally mounted to the carriage, and the rear portion of the sensing member provides a transverse extension arm adapted to pivot into and out of pressure contact with the tail portion of its respective engaging lug when the forward portion of the sensing arm pivots above and below the conveyor track, respectively.
 22. Apparatus according to claim 21 in which each sensing member has an intermediate portion which extends in a forward direction past the engaging lug located immediately in front of the lug which the sensing member is adapted to control, so the forward portion of the sensing member will sense objects located in the space immediately forward of the space associated with the lug which the sensing member is adapted to control.
 23. Apparatus according to claim 22 in which alternating ones of said sensing members extend along one side of their respective engaging lugs, and the remaining alternating sensing members extend along the opposite side of their respective engaging lugs.
 24. Apparatus according to claim 19 in which each engaging lug includes downwardly depending laterally spaced apart side walls, and a downwardly extending control spring between the side walls; and including a movable elongated control rail disposed in the channel and extending under the engaging lugs and the control springs thereof, means for moving the control rail relative to the channel member between a first position and a second position, and a series of longitudinally spaced apart lug position control members carried on the control rail, each lug position control member being arranged to move in and out of pressure contact with a respective one of the control springs to permit pivotal movement of the engaging lugs to their inoperative positions when the control rail is in its first position, and to maintain the lugs in their operative positions, preventing movement of the lugs to their inoperative positions, when the control rail is in its second position.
 25. In a live storage conveyor having a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to a conveyor track, and means for reciprocating the carriage to move objects in a forward direction along the track, an improved sensing and engaging mechanism comprising a series of longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs pivotally mounted to the carriage so each lug normally pivots under gravity to an inoperative position in which it is out of contact with objects on the conveyor track; a movable elongated lug position control rail disposed below the engaging lugs; means for longitudinally reciprocating the lug position control rail independently of contact with the objects on the track and relative to the engaging lugs so the control rail moves between a first position and a second position; and a series of longitudinally spaced apart lug position control members carried on the control rail, each lug position control member corresponding to a respective one of the engaging lugs, the lug position control members being located on the control rail so that they move into or out of pressure contact with the engaging lugs when the control rail moves to its first or second position, respectively, the lug position control members being moved into pressure contact with the lugs to maintain the lugs in an operative position, above the conveyor track, so the engaging lugs will contact the objects disposed thereon, when the control rail is in its first position, the lug position control memberS being moved out of pressure contact with the lugs to permit movement of the engaging lugs to their inoperative position when the control rail is in its second position.
 26. Apparatus according to claim 25 in which each lug position control member is positioned adjacent to the bottom of a respective one of the engaging lugs so the members will be forced into contact with the engaging lugs, each member having a working end portion movable between the rear of the lug pivot point and the front of the lug pivot point as the lug position control rail moves between its first position and its second position, respectively.
 27. Apparatus according to claim 25 including a separate lug position control spring carried by each engaging lug forward of its pivot point, and in which each position control member is movable into and out of pressure contact with a respective control spring to pivot the lug from its operative to its inoperative position, respectively.
 28. A live storage conveyor system comprising an elongated conveyor track for supporting objects to be conveyed; a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to the track; means for reciprocating the carriage for moving objects in a forward direction along the track; a series of longitudinally spaced apart engaging lugs mounted to pivot about corresponding transverse axes along the carriage, each lug being mounted to pivot from an operative position, in which the lug contacts objects disposed on the conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the lug is out of contact with the objects; a separate control arm carried on each engaging lug forward of its pivot axis; and a separate movable lug position control member located adjacent to each engaging lug, the lug position control members being movable in unison relative to the engaging lugs between a first position and a second position, each lug position control member being movable to the first position thereof for pressure contact with a corresponding one of the control arms to pivot the engaging lugs to their operative position in unison so they will force objects forwardly along the track when the conveyor carriage makes a forward stroke, the lug position control members also being movable to their second position where they are out of pressure contact with their respective control arms for allowing the engaging lugs to pivot to their inoperative positions.
 29. Apparatus according to claim 28 in whick the conveyor carriage includes a slidable control rail disposed below the engaging lugs, the control rail being movable relative to the series of engaging lugs, and means for securing the lug position control members to the control rail in longitudinally spaced apart relation, whereby movement of the control rail moves the lug position control members in unison into contact with the control arms to raise the engaging lugs and maintain them in their operative position.
 30. Apparatus according to claim 28 in which each engaging lug is mounted to the carriage to normally pivot under gravity to its inoperative position when its corresponding lug position control member moves out of pressure contact with the control arm thereof.
 31. In a live storage conveyor having a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to a conveyor track, and means for reciprocating the carriage for moving objects in a forward direction along the track, an improved sensing and engaging mechanism comprising a series of engaging lugs mounted in longitudinally spaced apart relation along the conveyor carriage, each engaging lug being mounted to pivot from an operative position, in which the lug contacts the bottoms of objects on the conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the lug is out of contact with the objects, a separate movable sensing member for controlling the action of each engaging lug, each sensing member having one end secured to the conveyor carriage forward of the corresponding engaging lug, the other end of each sensing member being normally operative to contact its corresponding engaging lug to urge it into its operative position, each sensing member normally projecting above the plane of the conveyor track when no objects are present above them on the track for sensing the pressure of objects on the track, each sensing member also being movable downwardly when contacted by objects on the track above it to break the contact with its corresponding engaging lug and enable the lug to pivot to its inoperative position, and means for pivoting the engaging lugs to their operative positions independently of the control provided by the sensing members to override the normal operation of the sensing members.
 32. Apparatus according to claim 31 in which said other end of the sensing member releasably contacts the engaging lug; and in which the lug pivoting means includes a slidable bar below the lugs, means for moving the bar relative to the conveyor track between a first position and a second position, and a series of lug position control members spaced apart along the length of the bar and arranged to permit corresponding engaging lugs to pivot to their inoperative position when the bar is in its first position, and to maintain the respective engaging lugs in their operative position, preventing movement to their inoperative position, when the bar is in its second position.
 33. Apparatus according to claim 31 in which the lug position control member includes a horizontally disposed leaf spring adjacent to the bottom surface of the engaging lug, the leaf spring having an end portion held in contact with the bottom of the lug, the end portion of the control spring being movable from the rear of the lug pivot point to the front of the pivot point as the bar moves from its first position to its second position, respectively.
 34. In a live storage conveyor having a reciprocating carriage extending adjacent to a conveyor track, and means for reciprocating the carriage for moving objects in a forward direction along the track, the conveyor carriage including a pair of parallel, slidable elongated channel members adjacent to the track, an improved sensing and engaging mechanism comprising a series of spaced apart engaging lugs mounted on each channel member, each engaging lug being mounted to pivot from an operative position, in which an upper surface portion of the lug contacts the bottoms of objects on the conveyor track, to an inoperative position, in which the upper surface portion is out of contact with the objects; a series of spaced apart sensing springs mounted on each channel member for controlling the action of corresponding engaging lugs mounted thereon, each sensing spring having one engaging lug, the other end of the sensing spring being normally operative to contact its corresponding engaging lug to urge it into its operative position, each sensing spring also being positioned normally above the plane of the conveyor track so it will flex downwardly when contacted by objects on the track above it, whereby contact between the lug and the sensing spring is broken to permit the lug to pivot to its inoperative position; a channel member actuator for reciprocating the channel members together relative to the track, whereby when the engaging lugs are in their operative position, forward movement of the channel member actuator moves the lug upper surface portions into contact with the bottoms of objects disposed over the conveyor track and forces the objects in a forward direction along the track, an elongated control spring carrier bar disposed within the lower portion of each channel member; carrier bar actuator means for moving each control spring carrier bar relative to its respective channel member between a first position and a second position; and a lug control spring secured to each carrier bar arranged to both permit pivotal movement of each lug to its inoperative position when the carrier bar is in the first position, and to maintain the lugs in their operative position, preventing movement to their inoperAtive position, when the carrier bar is in its second position.
 35. Apparatus according to claim 34 wherein each lug control spring includes a horizontally disposed leaf spring adjacent to the bottom surface of the engaging lug, the leaf spring having an end portion held in contact with the bottom of the lug, the end portion of the control spring being movable from the rear of the lug pivot point to the front of the lug pivot point as the carrier bar moves from its first position to its second position, respectively.
 36. Apparatus according to claim 34 wherein each lug control spring includes an upwardly extending leaf spring having an upper end portion held in contact with the bottom of the engaging lug, the upper end portion being movable from the rear of the lug pivot point to the front of the lug pivot point as the carrier bar moves from its first position to its second position respectively.
 37. Apparatus according to claim 34 including an out-feed conveyor at the end of the conveyor track, means for maintaining the control spring carrier bar in its second position, and means for continuously reciprocating the channel member actuator so as to discharge objects from the conveyor track onto the outfeed conveyor.
 38. Apparatus according to claim 34 wherein the carrier bar actuator means comprises a separate double-acting cylinder mounted on each channel member, each cylinder having a reciprocating piston rod secured to a respective control spring carrier bar. 